| 19 | Daddy dearest
2019 Words
Paulina POV
I’m not sure what happened earlier, but now I’m in bed, thankfully, it’s mine. Muffled voices come from the kitchen, and Curious George, as I am, I have to investigate. The men from earlier are casually sitting and talking at my dinner table.
“Welcome back to the land of the living, Eleonora.” the man who claims to be my father says.
“How long was I out for?” I ask and rub my eyes.
“Not that long, a couple of hours maybe. You kind of fainted.” he answers, and shrugs.
“Okay, this has all been very fun, but I’ll have to ask you to leave. Please?”
“No, I can’t do that.”
“But why?”
“I left you one time and look what happened.” he says and casually throws his arms up in the air. “Your mother died, and you ended up in the foster care system. Those people you call your parents mistreated you, and I couldn’t do anything about it! I wasn’t even sure if you were still alive until a week ago.”
Someone made coffee, and I need lots of it right now. I pour it into the biggest mug I have, and if it weren’t piping hot, I would have downed the whole thing. In moments like this, I wish that I had lots and lots of alcohol at my disposal.
“What’s your name?” I ask and look up at him.
“My name is Ivan. That’s Gregorio and Tony.” he answers with a big smile.
“Nice meeting you all.”
“So, tell me about yourself and your life. What are you working with?”
“I lost my job recently, and now I need to find a new one.”
“Where did you work?”
“Colette’s club.” I whisper.
“You were a stripper?!” he growls.
“The right term is an exotic dancer, but yes, I did.”
“Why would you do something like that?! You’re smart and have worked in the service business for a long time!”
“You researched me?”
“What kind of father would I have been if I didn’t?”
“I did it for the kids.”
“Kids? Which kids?” he asks and looks at the other men, but they look just as confused as he does.
“Apparently, I hid them well enough if even you couldn’t find them. Hang on for a sec.”
I hurry into my bedroom and pick up a picture frame from the dresser. We took this picture last Christmas; the boys have matching Santa suits, Fiona, and I have matching red winter dresses with white fluff at the end of the skirts. I smile at the picture and take it back with me.
“You have four grandchildren.” I say and put the picture on the table.
Ivan looks at me with big and surprised eyes. His thumb caresses the picture, and I can even see a small tear fall from his eyes. It’s pretty evident that he didn’t know about them. He smiles at me, and I find myself smiling back.
“What’s their names?”
“Caleb, Noah, Darby, and Fiona. Caleb is the oldest by seventeen minutes, and Fiona is the youngest. The triplets will be six this year, and Fiona will be five.”
“Damn, you didn’t waste any time at all. Aren’t you only 24?” Tony asks, and Ivan slams his elbow into his gut.
“Learn some respect!” he growls and then turns to me, smiling. “Thank you for giving me four grandchildren, tigrice. Where are they?”
“Oh, they’re at Fiona’s dad’s place at the moment. I have had some... issues here, and they could be in danger because of it. It was safer to keep them there until things settle.”
“What kind of issues?” he asks and narrows his eyes at me.
“My ex and the Ravellie brothers...” I whisper.
Everyone knows of the Ravellie brothers, they’re not exactly discreet. The police have been trying to lock them up for years, without any luck. It’s not easy to have them on trial when witnesses suddenly take back their testimonies or disappears.
“Why are you fighting with Ravellie’s boys?”
“I don’t. They came after me after they found out that I was Fiona’s dad’s old lady.’ Which I never was nor ever will be by the way.” I snort.
“Don’t they all have the same dad?”
“No, the triplets were conceived during a one-night-stand. I don’t remember how he looked like or who he was.”
“Who is Fiona’s dad, then?”
“Damien.” I answer, and the look I get is not a happy one.
“Damien... Why does that sound familiar?”
“I don’t know, but we dated a short while before I gave birth to the boys, and we hung out a couple of times afterward; that’s when Fiona was created.”
“Why isn’t he here then?! Why isn’t he taking his f*****g responsibility?!”
“Because I told him not to. He hurt me, and I didn’t want to continue the heartbreak. It’s better this way.” I say.
I don’t know who I’m trying to convince him or myself. Either way, he looks sympathetic. His big hand caress my cheek in the softest of ways, you know, that kind of affection only a dad can give you. I can’t tell you why I’m being this open to a man who claims to be my father when I don’t know him.
It just... feels right somehow, like it’s supposed to happen like this. He sits down beside me and take my small hand into his big ones. Before I know it, he’s hugging me close to his chest, and I do the same, not daring to let go. I’ve always wanted a dad who would love me.
“You have no idea how happy I am to finally meet you, tigrice.” he says into my hair.
“All of this is kind of sudden... I don’t know how to behave or react.”
“That, I can understand. I’ve been looking for you since the day you disappeared, it’s much harder to find someone when you don’t have the correct name, and what I understand, you have changed it once more?”
“Yes, Wendy before and Paulina now. I changed it because others wouldn’t be able to find me.”
“I want you and the kids to move into my house. Just until you get back on your feet. They’ll be safe, and I can offer you a job in my business.”
“Can I think about it?”
He is nodding with a smile, and I return the gesture. Gregory put a business card on the table, and I pick it up. ‘Ivan Novak, CEO IN enterprises’. I recognize the company’s name immediately; it’s the only business that is bigger than Damien’s.
“Call me anytime. It doesn’t matter if it’s just to talk, I’ll always answer when you call me, tigrice. Or just show up whenever.”
The three men move towards the door, but before they walk out, I tap my father on his shoulder, which makes him stop. He turns around to look at me, and I can’t help myself, I need to hug him. Something about his scent is familiar. We smile at each other, and before I close the door, I need to ask.
“Why ‘tigrice?”
“I always called you that when you were little, it means ‘little tiger’.” he answers with a warm smile and walks away.
I close the door and sit down on the couch; I can’t believe this! Out of nowhere, I have a father that actually loves and cares about me. Not once did he yell or hurt me, even if the choice was there. The kids will be happy to know that they have a grandfather; I never told them about my’ parents’.
Those people who raised me isn’t worth calling parents at all. A birth parent doesn’t abuse their child, I have four, and I have never hurt them. I have always made sure that they were the priority, and that they always have what they need, even if I had to be without the things I wanted or needed.
That’s how it is to be a parent. To put your child’s needs and life before your own, and you’d do it without hesitation. You will all understand that one day when you have your own children, until then, you can’t understand the unconditional love you have for that little human that is your kid.
I dial Adrien’s number and wait for him to pick up. The signals continue to echo in my phone, until they stop, and I hang up. I continue to call until he answers, I need to talk to my best friend about this. He sounds out of breath when he explains.
“Paulina, are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m sorry if I disturbed your and Jaxon’s dirty time...”
“No no! I was in the shower and didn’t hear it until now. So, what’s up?”
“My father came to see me.”
“That bastard! What did he do?”
“Nothing! Hang on, let me explain...”
And I do—every detail my dad said and how he acted. I’m giggling and cry happy tears. I sniff and try to contain myself, but Adrien just chuckles at my happiness. A beautiful and robust feeling is blossoming in my chest.
“Anyway... I don’t want you to tell this to anyone yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because he reacted very strongly to Damien not being here with me. I don’t want them to start fighting over something that’s between Damien and me. I need to get to know my dad in peace.”
“Alright, but you have to tell the children, you understand, that right?”
“Yes, I was thinking of taking them with me so they can meet him. He behaved like a sweetheart, and he called me tigrice...”
“Didn’t that woman you called ‘grandma’ call you that when we were younger?”
“Yes, she did.”
“You’ve always liked it. If I’m being honest, there’s no one except me, you and that woman who knows of that nickname. He must either have done his homework on you, or he’s your real father.”
“His smell is familiar and some of his features too... But I can’t be sure either. That’s why I need to get to know him and spend time with him. I wanted to talk to you about it, and now when I have, I know what I need to do. I’m going to his place now, so that you know.”
“Alright, just be careful and call me when you get there.”
“Will do.”
***
I’m standing outside two iron gates and look up the hill at a beautiful dark mansion. There’s a fountain in the front yard and flowers all over, mostly lilies. They’re my favorites. I’m about to call on the intercom when two pairs of strong arms grab me and look at me with death stares.
“Who the f**k are you, and what are you doing here?” one of them growls.
“I’m here to see Ivan, let me go!” I fight against their grip, but they don’t even react before dragging me towards the house.
They open the doors and throws me on the floor at the entrance. My father is walking into the room and looks at me before he snarls at the men. Dad is with me in a second and check my body for injuries; the anxious look is heartwarming; he cares.
“What the f**k are you doing to my Eleonora?!” he yells at the men.
“We’re very sorry! We didn’t know it was your daughter, don Novak.”
Don? Oh. My. God.
- Writer
